1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to weapons safety devices, and more specifically to a device for preventing the accidental loading and discharge of firearms.
2. Description of the Background Art
The accidental loading and discharge of firearms stands as a major hazard associated with the keeping of firearms. Every year numerous inexperienced individuals, and unsupervised youngsters, are killed in accidental shootings. Therefore, a need has existed for devices which prevent the accidental loading and/or discharge of firearms.
A device known as the "breech block safety device" has arisen as an attempt to solve the accidental loading/discharge problem. These devices generally take the shape of a plastic or metallic plug which occupy the breech of a firearm, and which cannot be easily extracted.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,635 issued to Cvetanovich on Dec. 10, 1991, discloses a breech block safety device which incorporates an O-ring disposed in a groove, the O-ring having a diameter and thickness corresponding to the size of the breech of the firearm in which it is used. The width of the groove is substantially greater than the thickness of the O-ring, thereby causing the O-ring to expand upon inserting into the breech. While this device cannot be removed by the extractor mechanism present on the actions of firearms, it can be easily removed by pushing it out of the breech with a cleaning rod. A drawback exists in that children, applying very little pressure with a cleaning rod, or a hard jolt to the weapon, could easily dislodge this device. Additionally, because the groove in the Cvetanovich device has vertical sidewalls, the O-ring tends to shear against these sidewalls, during insertion or extraction of the device, thereby causing O-ring failure, which subsequently causes this device to fall easily from the breech, rendering it useless. Finally, this device does not fit well into tapered rifle chambers and therefore has limited utility for rifles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,123, issued to Ascroft on Oct. 11, 1988 discloses a safety plug for firearm chambers which is incapable of being ejected by the extractor mechanisms present on many firearms. This device is press-fitted into the bore of the firearm by having a diameter slightly greater that the bore of the firearm. To fit properly, this device requires the diameter of the plug to be precisely determined relative to the barrel bore. Variations in the wear of the bore, or deposits therein, would require corresponding adjustments in the plug diameter. Such a pressure fit as employed by the Ascroft device has a small surface area of contact between the plug and the firearm, and simply jarring the firearm could cause the safety plug to dislodge or even drop out.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,639, issued to Rockwood on May 20, 1969, discloses another safety plug for firearm breeches. This design is capable of being ejected by the firearm extractor mechanism and, therefore, can be easily dislodged simply by ejecting the plug in the same manner as ejecting a cartridge.
U.S. Pat No. 3,848,350, issued to Seminiano on Nov. 19, 1974, discloses still another plug. The primary objective of this device is to serve as a "dry fire" plug for center-fire firearms, or shotguns. This plug can also be ejected simply by using the firearm extractor mechanism.
A need therefore exists for a breech block safety device which cannot be removed by forces produced by a young child, or accidental jarring. Additionally, a need exists for a breech block safety device with will remain in the breech of a firearm despite wear, pitting, or deposits being present therein. The present invention satisfies these needs.
The foregoing patents and other information reflect the state of the art of which the inventor is aware, and is tendered with a view toward discharging the inventor's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information which may be pertinent with regards to the patentability of the present invention. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that the disclosed patents and other information do not teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, the inventor's claimed invention.